my scandinavian home: Design hotels

A dreamy space in Santorini

Mondays are made for dreaming aren't they? And, be still my beating heart...I've just found a little touch of paradise that will keep us all dreaming all week! Photographer Sara Medina Lind has just visited Santorini (now top on my list!) and stayed a couple of night at Sophia Suites. Thankfully for us she got out her camera and captured breath-taking vistas from the magnificent rooftop (complete with lush pool), serene white interior and beautiful designer pieces within. Could you imagine spending a few days here?!

Simple stunning! That view!

We can't all have magnificent rooftop pools overlooking the mediterranean.....

.....but we can certainly steal ideas (after all - if it weren't for the rounded stone walls the interior could almost be Scandinavian right?).

I spy: Black rattan hanging chair / Lounge chair and ottoman / Carl Hansen CH07 shell chair / Z1 pendant light - black sisal / Plywood group LCW chair.

Other fabulous hotels for a whole load more of Monday morning dreaming: a little piece of paradise in the philippines, and a magnificent seaside design hotel on Mykonos.

Have a wonderful, dreamy start to the week!

PS The voting is now open for the Amara International blog awards and I've been selected to be in the running for category 'Best European Interiors Blog' so exciting!! If you'd like to vote for me and make my day you can do so here - it only takes a second, I promise!

FILED UNDER: Design hotels

The perfect boutique design hotel for a surprise?

Did I tell you that the man and I have made a deal to surprise one another with a weekend away this year? It could be anything from camping, or an overnight stay in the world's smallest hotel to a long weekend in a beautiful Riad in Marrakesh (here's me hoping!!). Naturally, my travel radar has gone into over drive (cue hours on Pinterest). And then I came across Hotel Henriette Rice Gauche in the Mouffetard district of Paris. Hotel Henriette is a new boutique hotel with thirty-two individually designed bedrooms created by interior designer Vanessa Scoffier, as well as a vintage winter garden and a library. If you're looking for bedroom inspiration, this post is for you! Better still, if you're going to Paris, could this be your home from home? Let's take a peek inside....

Photography: Hotel Henriette thank you to At Home In Love and Avenue Lifestyle who inspired this post.

What do you think? A good hotel for a surprise weekend with P?!

The most inspiring thing about these rooms (for me) is the paint. I thought geometric / half painted walls were reserved for a modern-cool look. But seeing the bedroom painted half and half in pastel green and pink makes me think it could be the route to a pretty, romantic boudoir. I'm of course loving the vintage finds and retro pieces too.

Is there anything that stands out to you?

Other dream hotels on my hit list include this little piece of paradise in the Philippines, and a beautiful oasis on the Greek island of Mykonos. *sigh*, imagine?!

More bedroom inspiration here and here.

Have a wonderful day!

PS I'm on a whirl wind tour of New York right now for my book - so exciting! Things are a little hectic so I apologise in advance if my posts appear a little later than usual...or perhaps not at all on certain days!

A wonderful Copenhagen home

Happy April Fool's day! Have you fooled anyone yet?! In the UK you've got until midday but in Sweden you've the whole day - and then, once fooled you call your poor, unsuspecting subject a silly herring. What about in your country?! I'm oh so excited about today's home tour photographed by Tia Borgsmidt for the wonderful Danish magazine BoligLiv. It's the home of Marie and Andreas and their two children Uma and Morris just over the bridge in Vesterbro, Copenhagen. The space is teeming with personal items including art and furniture they've either inherited or sourced from antique and second hand markets. It's such a wonderful, unique home!

Photographer: Tia Borgsmidt (with kind permission) for BoligLiv, found via Coco Lapine

Anything in particular you love about this space?

I spy design items including the AJ floor lamp, Ant chairs, and the Flowerpot VP3 desk lamp. Pick up mid-century treasures at Lauritz.

Love to see that Marie works at Central Hotel og Cafe, the world's smallest hotel. I recently booked it as a birthday trip for my husband and I and our breakfast will be served in this cafe. I can't wait!

I'm also excited to introduce a new sponsor today. Montreal based Irene Suchocki is the incredible fine art photographer behind the oh so fab online shop Eye Poetry. Her work combines her love of travel with her dream-like aesthetic which include city collections such as Paris, City of Love (I'm looking at you, Erin), New York, New York, and Italy, La Dolce Vita. My personal fine art photography favourites include night glitter, ordinary silence, and plain sailing, how about you?

Have a lovely day!

PS don't miss out on the t-shirt soft bedlinen give-away here!

A little piece of paradise in the Philippines

I was at an event recently and met a girl who grew up on a tropical island off Japan. I was fascinated. She said she didn't appreciate her surroundings as a child but loves to go back and visit as an adult. Many people feel like that about their own home towns. But could you imagine if yours was as stunning as Dedon island in the Philippines? Created in collaboration with designers Jean-Marie Massaud and Daniel Pouzet with the ethos of eco-friendly tourism and barefoot living, it is a little touch of paradise and the ultimate winter escape. Pass me the sun screen.

Dedon Via Style Files

I'm adding this one to my wish list for 2015 (but will need to save up a little first!).

When I post design hotels in tropical places (see also this fabulous hotel on Mykonos) I sometimes get comments asking what this has to do with Scandinavian homes. Well not much! But I think it's inspiring to show get-aways all the same - after all, everyone needs an escape from the Scandinavian winter from time to time or what? As you know I'm currently travelling in Thailand with my family (feeling like the luckiest person in the world) and am so inspired by the beautiful places we have seen and stayed in.

Do you have a place you long to visit?

PS if you'd like to donate to the Philippines following the typhoon on 8th november and read more about aid visit this page.

FILED UNDER: Design hotels Holiday homes

A little touch of paradise on Mykonos

'Simply breathtaking' are the only words I can find to describe the San Giorgio boutique hotel on Mykonos, Greece. Congratulations to the team; Thomas Heyne and Mario Hertel and Design Hotels. Book me in!